Automatic display cabinet



2 Sheets-Sheet l A Allg-.28, 1934 A. CAMPANELLA AUTOMATIC DISPLAY CABINET Filed Sept. 23, 1935 Aug. 28, 1934. A. CAMPANELLA AUTOMATIC DISPLAY CABINET Filed Sept. 25, 1933T 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I ANTON/o CAMPANELLA I su BY ATTORN Patented Aug. 28, 1934 uNiTlanD srnifrss PATENT# o l Y AUTOMATIC DISPLAY CABINET i i Antonio Campanella,l Brooklyn, N. Y. Application September 23, 1933, Serial No. 690,6"12

a claims.

- 10 and adapted to extend merchandise from said Still further the invention proposes the provision of several stationary racks within .the oas- 'ing extending between the casing and the sides of the carriage, other racks opposed `to said stationary racks and movable up andedown inthe vertical through limited distances, and automatic ratchetsron said carriage, each engaging a stationary and movable rack for lifting the carriage when the Amovable rack is* raised and to engage the stationary rack to hold-the carriage in `the raised position as the movable rack is lowered.Y

Still further the invention proposes arranging the carriage with brackets at the corners adapted to carry rollers engageable with vertical `tracks mounted within the casing toaecomplish the .vertical slidable mounting ofv the carriage. Furthermore the invention` also kcontemplate constructingv cachot the automatic ratches with an. element adapted to holdv thevratchets in an inoperative` position .to permit vli'iwering of the carriage whendesired.A n Y Y e Still Yfurther theinvention contemplatesr arrangingv the automatic ratchets -to comprise a pair of pivoted members hav-ing ends urged out- A wards and engaging said racks; Y A l As y another object of this invention'an arrangement is proposed for raising lowering moving Yracks' when desired.' ve Y Y Still further the invention contemplates. construction' of'fa device mentionedwhich is simple and durable andA whichca'n be .manufactured and sold ata reasonable cost.

F01` further comprehension vof theinvention, and ofv the objects and advantages? thereof refi-erence will be had' tothe following' `descrip'tion Y and accompanying drawings' 'and 'to vthe appended claimsfin which the various novel featuresof the :invention arev more particularlyv setfortli..Y

In the accompanying drawings forming amaterial part of this disclosurer- Fig. 1f is a perspectiveY view of a device con- .'structed according to this ir'iv'e'nti'or'i.4

Fig. 2 is aside elevational viewof Fig'. 1i; with va prtion thereof brokengawayjto .disclosefinterior parts.

(Cl. S12- 71) Fig.- 3 is a fragmentarylhorizontal sectional View takenon the line 3'3 of Fig. 2g v Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view' taken on the line 4 4 of Fig'. 2'.

Fig. 5 isa side elevational View' o'f the carriage per se.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 2 but illustrating one o'f the' ratchets disengaged.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating the ratchet in it'seng'ag'ed position.

Fig. 8 is a `fragr'nentary vertical sectional view illustrating th'e carriage in its lowered position. Fig.- 9'is an enlarged fragmenary View of Fig. 3. Fig.- 10` is a-vertical sectional view takfen on the linelO-lO of Fig. 9. v j

The automatic display cabinet according to tliisinvention comprises a casing 10 having an opening 11 formed with sharp edges 11' forthe ejection of merchandise and for'the tearing off of any cellophane wrapper ofthe in'ercihandise.Y

A carriage 12 fory holding the merchandise is vertically slidably mounted in the casing and is adapted to' eXtendthe merchandise through the opening 11.. The opening is arranged at the top of the casing so that as the carriage moves upwards more and more o'f the merchandise is eX- .tended from the opening. The slidable mounting of lthe, carriage is accomplished by the provision of brackets 13 mounted uponeach Vof the corners' of the carriage and equipped with rollers 14 adapted` to" engage tracks 15 vertically mounted within the casing.

The tracks 15 merely comprise" afgle' irons mounted in the corners of` the casing. The brackets 13 are arranged'so' that thev rollers '114 are disposed in two directions at right angles 'to'eachr other adapted to engage the' inner faces vof the angle members 15 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The brackets A13 areprovid'ed with the` rollers" 14 arranged near the top and other rollers near the bottom so as toV produce a .substantial area through which the rollers engage the tracks soas, tofpositively hold the carriageliirmly dur- 'ingits sliding motion..y I g f Several stationary vertical racl'sf15" are arranged .within the casingbetweenvthecasing and the sides' o'f the carriage 1,2. 'These vertical racks are' shown toV comprise th'e` construction of teeth upon certain of the edges of the angle irons 15. Qtlier racks 16 are arranged opposed'kto the stationary racks'1'5 and are movablef'p and down in theV vertical throughlimiteddistances. Theselfopposedracks" 16 arefim'ed upon the sides offrmes '1x7 having upper'aiid lower's'td's 18y and 19 respectively slidably engaging in bearings 20 and 21 respectively attached within the casing.

Automatic ratchets are mounted upon the carriage 12 and each is adapted to engage a stationary rack 15 and a movable rack 16 for limiting the carriage when the movable rack is raised and to engage the stationary rack to hold the carriage in engaged positions when the movable rack is lowered. More particularly each of these automatic racks comprises a pair of jaws 22 pivotally mounted intermediately at 23 upon the brackets 13. These jaws are arranged in the vertical and the lower ends are pointed as illustrated on the drawings and when expanded away from each other engage the teethl of the racks. Resilient means in the form of a spring 24 are arranged between the jaws of the .automatic ratchet for normally urging them into separated positions. The portions of the pivoted jaws above the pivot point 23 constitute handlesv by which.

the racks may be moved to inoperative positions. A ring 25 is pivotally mounted upon the handle end of one of the jaws andis adapted to engage another jaw for the purpose of holding the automatic ratchet in inoperative positions.

A means is provided for raising and lowering vthe movable racks 16. This means comprises a handle 26 extended through an opening' 27 in the casing. This handle connects with a lever 28 formed with arms 29 which are pivotally mounted upon a rivet 33 arranged upon lugs 30 and 34 secured within the casing. The free ends 29 of the lever 28 engage a transverse rod V31 to move the rod in an arcuate path as the handle 26 is moved. The ends of the rod 31 engage into Vfork members 32 which are pivotally mounted by rivets 33 arranged on lugs 30 and 34. y'Ihe stud portions 19r of the frame 17 are provided with rollers 35 which engage in the forksr 32.

One of the forks 32 has a projecting screw 36 engaged by a spring 36' connected with the casing for normally urging the fork into a lowered position. A protuberance 37 is formed upon thebottoms of the fork 32 and acts against the lug 34 for the purpose of limiting downward motion of the forks and consequently of the frames 17.` A detachable regulating screw is mounted upon the casing to limit operation of the lever 28 so that the degree of raising and lowering of the frame 17 may be controlled. This regulating screw comprises a customary screw 38 which has a rubber cover head. The screw 38 threadedly engages through the casing and is equipped with several nuts 39 by which it may be clamped in various adjustable positions. The head of the screw is so arranged as to be adjustable in the path of motion of the lever 28 and so control the operation ofthe lever. `Stop pins 40 are mounted upon the lower ends of the angle irons 15' for the purpose of kengaging against the bottom of the brackets 13 to limit the downward motion of the carriage. 1

r`As illustrated on the drawingsthere are two frames 17 one upon each of the sides of the casing, see Fig. 3. These two frames and the other operating mechanism are suflicient to raise the carriage as hereinafter described; l

The operationof the device consists in first clamping each of the automatic ratchets in'their inoperative positions as is possible with the rings 25 so that the carriage may be completely lowered by hand. The carriage thenrests upon the pins 40. Next each of the automatic ratchetsis set `in its operative position byvv disconnecting the may then be piled upon the carriage and so stored within the casing.

As the merchandise is lifted from the top of the casing, for example during sales or at other times, the handle 26 can be moved downwards so as to pivot the lever 28 and correspondingly move the rod 31. As the rod 31 moves, the forks 32 will be correspondingly moved to raise the frames 17. The stops 37 and 38 are so designed as to limit the raising of the frames 17 through a distance which is slightly more than one tooth of the racks 15 and 16.

As the frames 17 move upwards the carriage 12 will be correspondingly moved since the lowered ends of the ratchets engage the racks 16 connected with the frames 17. The ends of the automatic ratchets which engage the stationary racks l5 merely idle over the teeth of the racks through the upper motion of the carriage. When the handle 26 is released the spring 36 will immediately move the forks 32 into their lowered positions and so move the frames 17. The racks 16 will merely idle past the automatic ratchets during this motion but the carriage will maintain a raised position. In this manner for each 'downward motion of the handle 26 the carriage will be raised one tooth of the racks. The screw 38 may be adjusted so as to vary the distance which the carriage moves for each operation of I the ratchets.

It is to be understood that a motor may also be attached to operate the handle 26 with any suitable twining device. Also the casing 10 may be of any shape constructed either of one piece or of a number of parts.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. In an automatic display cabinet, a rectangular casing with vertical angle irons at the corners thereof, a carriage for holding merchandise and vertically slidably mounted between the arms of said angle irons, several of the arms'of said angle irons being formed with rack teeth, racks opposed tol said stationary racks and movable up and down in the vertical to limited distances, and automatic ratchets' on said carriages, each of said ratchets engaging a stationary and a movable rack for liftingl the carriage when the movable rack is raised and to engage the stationary rack to hold the carriage in the raised position as the movable rack is lowered said movable racks comprising frames between opposed armsof said angle irons formed with rack teeth and having studs'at the top and the bottom slidably engaging bearings, ratchet teeth being formed in the sides of saidrframe to constitute movable racks for cooperation with said stationary racks, and means lfor raising and lowering said frames.

2. In an automatic display cabinet, a rectangular casing with vertical angle irons at the corners thereof, a carriage for holding merchandise and vertically slidably mounted between the arms of said angle irons, several of the arms of said angle irons being formed with rack teeth, racks opposed to saidstationary racks and movable up and down in the'vertical to limited distances, and

automatic ratchets'on said carriages, each of said 150 ratchets engaging a stationary and a movable rack for lifting the carriage when the movable rack is raised and to engage the stationary rack to hold the carriage in the raised position as the movable rack is lowered, said movable racks comprising frames between opposed arms of said angle irons formed with rack teeth and having studs at the top and the bottom slidably engaged in bearings, and ratchet teeth being formed on the sides of said frame to constitute movable racks for cooperating with said stationary racks.

3. In an automatic display cabinet, a rectangular casing with vertical angle irons at the corners thereof, a carriage for holding merchandise and vertically slidably mounted between the arms of said angle irons, several of the arms of said angle irons being formed with rack teeth, racks opposed to said stationary racks and movable up and down in the vertical to limited dis-V tances, and automatic ratchets on said carriages, each of said ratchets engaging a stationary and a movable rack for lifting the carriage when the movablerack is raised and to engage the stationary rack to hold the carriage in the raised position as the movable rack` is lowered, said movable racks comprising frames between opposed arms of said angle irons formed with rack teeth and having studs at the top and the bottom slidably engaged in bearings, and ratchet teeth being formed on the sides of said frame to constitute movable racks for cooperation with saidY stationary movable racks, and means for raising and lowering said frames comprising horizontal elements pivotally mounted at their rear ends and connected at their frontr ends with said frames, a rod between said horizontal'elements, a fork pvotally mounted coaxially with said horizontal elements and having its front ends connected with said rod, and a handle for moving said fork.

ANTONIO CAMPANELLA. 

